A lumber assembly and finishing system for use in assembling constructs includes a lumber table configured to support arranged pieces of lumber. A press station presses nailing plates into the pieces of lumber to join the pieces of lumber together to form the lumber construct. A lumber construct transporter moves the arranged pieces of lumber from the lumber table to the press station while keeping the pieces of lumber in their arranged configuration.

A automatic truss jig setting system is disclosed that includes a table including a plurality of segments with a side edge of adjacent segments defining a slot. At least one pin assembly, and optionally a pair of pin assemblies, is movable independently of each other along the slot. Movement apparatus is provided for independently moving the pin assemblies along the slot. Each of the side edges of the segments associated with the slot defines a substantially vertical plane with a zone being defined between the substantially vertical planes of the side edges, and the movement apparatus is located substantially outside of the zone of the slot. The invention may optionally include a system for handling the obstruction of pin assembly movement, and a system for keeping track of the position of the pin assembly when the pin assembly has encountered an obstruction.

The disclosure generally relates to a locating assembly as a component of a locating table segment for positioning truss segments in a truss assembly system. The system generally includes a plurality of table segments aligned in parallel and adapted to position a series of locating blocks on a top surface of the system/table, where each block is a component of one of a plurality of locating assemblies in the system. The block positions collectively define an outer boundary of a support truss (e.g., as a roofing truss). Once the blocks are moved to their desired position, appropriately sized truss segments are placed within the block-defined boundary and fastened together.

The disclosure generally relates to a locating assembly as a component of a locating table segment for positioning truss segments in a truss assembly system. The system generally includes a plurality of table segments aligned in parallel and adapted to position a series of locating blocks on a top surface of the system/table, where each block is a component of one of a plurality of locating assemblies in the system. The block positions collectively define an outer boundary of a support truss (e.g., as a roofing truss). Once the blocks are moved to their desired position, appropriately sized truss segments are placed within the block-defined boundary and fastened together.

An autonomous system for installing nail plates in wooden structures is provided. The system includes a C-clamp press attached to and be operated by a mobile robot. The C-clamp press includes a hydraulic cylinder operable to move a top plate relative to a stationary bottom plate; a coupler interposed between an end of the hydraulic cylinder and a the top plate; a stationary bottom plate; a top magnetic plate attached to the top plate; and a bottom magnetic plate attached to the bottom plate. Each of the top and bottom magnetic plates are configured to hold a nail plate and to embed the nail plate into a wooden member of a wooden structure when the C-clamp press is operated by the mobile robotic arm. The system further includes a computer vision system and a pressure sensor.

A lumber assembly and finishing system for use in assembling constructs includes a lumber table configured to support arranged pieces of lumber. A press station presses nailing plates into the pieces of lumber to join the pieces of lumber together to form the lumber construct. A lumber construct transporter moves the arranged pieces of lumber from the lumber table to the press station while keeping the pieces of lumber in their arranged configuration.

An autonomous system for installing nail plates in wooden structures is provided. The system includes a C-clamp press attached to and be operated by a mobile robot. The C-clamp press includes a hydraulic cylinder operable to move a top plate relative to a stationary bottom plate; a coupler interposed between an end of the hydraulic cylinder and a the top plate; a stationary bottom plate; a top magnetic plate attached to the top plate; and a bottom magnetic plate attached to the bottom plate. Each of the top and bottom magnetic plates are configured to hold a nail plate and to embed the nail plate into a wooden member of a wooden structure when the C-clamp press is operated by the mobile robotic arm. The system further includes a computer vision system and a pressure sensor.

A jigging puck that includes a base plate; a key having a key-rotational axis; a lock-activation top plate that is affixed to the key; a shoulder bolt having a bolt-rotational axis; a detent plate that is affixed to the key; a spacer plate that surrounds the detent plate; the lock-bar top plate that is rotatable around the shaft of bolt; and the lock-bar bottom plate affixed to the bolt. The bolt extends from above the lock-bar top plate to the lock-bar bottom plate and holds the puck together. The lock-activation top plate and the key are rotated around the key-rotational axis, the bottom of the key forces the lock-bar top plate and the lock-bar bottom plate to rotate in opposite directions around the shaft of the bolt in a scissors motion to lock or unlock the puck to a slot of a truss-assembly table.

Automated systems and methods of manufacturing truss elements for use in modular construction units can include stations, or steps, for forming angled webs, upright webs, and truss chords for use in the truss elements, transferring such angled webs, upright webs, and truss chords onto an assembly jig in a configuration corresponding to the truss element being manufactured, rigidly interconnecting, via nail plates, the angled webs, the upright webs, and the truss chords to form a finished truss element, and unloading the finished truss element from the assembly jig.

A lumber cutting and delivery system for use in assembling trusses on a truss table includes a saw for cutting a piece of material into pieces of a truss. A trunk conveyor system receives the pieces cut from the saw. The trunk conveyor system has a first conveying element to transport the pieces over a distance in a travel direction and an ejector for discharging the pieces from the first conveying element in a first discharge direction. A branch conveyor system is configured to receive the pieces discharged from the trunk conveyor system in the first discharge direction. The branch conveyor system has a main conveying element to transport the pieces.